Presenting PreCheck: Fascist and Furious

The TSA and its flaks in the corporate media are currently shilling for the agency’s “Pre√ (yes, Jargon plumbs new depths here: that cuneiform translates as ‘PreCheck’) Program.” The outrage with the Orwellian name isn’t anything new: it’s haunted nationalized aviation for almost as long as the TSA has. Sometimes, companies who “partner” with the Feds but nonetheless insist that they’re “private” have offered it. Other times, as now, the Thieves and Sexual Assailants are its sole sponsors.

The scam pretends that serfs who divulge even more information to the Feds than their dossiers already contain will suffer less persecution from the TSA than the rest of us. The agency doesn’t go so far as to claim they’ll completely escape its sexual molestation, nor even that they’ll breeze through checkpoints; rather, these self-snitches will merely “undergo expedited screening [sic for ‘unconstitutional, warrantless searches’].” Our Masters will “no longer” force them to “remov[e] the following items: Shoes; 3-1-1 compliant bag from carry-on; Laptop from bag; Light outerwear/jacket; Belt.” However, “TSA will always incorporate random and unpredictable security measures [sic for ‘sexual assault and humiliation’] throughout the airport and no individual will be guaranteed expedited screening.”

Indeed, one of the TSA’s spokesliars insists that “random” groping is “an important element of the program.” Wanna bet the groping is no more random than the porno-scanning is? (And by the way, where are the feminists on this? Why have we heard diddly from NOW during the TSA’s decade of degrading women?)

Permission to sometimes perhaps avoid Big Brother’s fondling comes with a price: $100. Since we’re dealing with Leviathan here, assume this is a yearly fee and that it will rise steeply as more passengers seek relief, even if partial, from the agency’s abuse.